Improvement in meat-choppers



uur guur enen-ene. MELLN,

orr NEW-YORK," N.v Y,

Letters Patent N o. 108,809, dated November 1, 1870.

QQ-* l vnvlPnove-wl EN-r 1N MEAT-CHOPPERS..

The Schedule referred toA in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

This invention has for its object to cut meat, vegetables, 85o., into small pieces, by means of a blade,'which,

-though it alternately rises and falls', yet does n ot move van invariable distance ateach descent, but, if it meets a bone or other hard. substance in the course of' its-downward movement, said blade stops until it is aga-in raised, whereas in those meat-choppers in which the blade moves an invariable distance at every stroke, it'- it meets with suoli an obstacle it is either broken .or the mechanism severely strained.

The foregoing object is accomplished in my invention by connecting the blade with a spring which is extended when the blade is raised, and which draws the blade downward when the arm that raises the latter is removed from beneath it.

The spring admits of the stoppingof the blade on striking an obstacle, whereas, if the blade wereoperated by a crank or other devicehaving a positive motion, it could not stop, withontinjuring the apparatus,

until the movement of the crank .was finished, while if the positive motion of the device continued, an equal or greater injury would result.

Referring to the drawing- A is the base-board. of the apparatus.

a, a cylindrical wooden blockl set on end upon the base A, and pivoted thereto, so as to be rotatory.

b is a ange extending upward from the block a, so

as to form a vessel for holding meat, vegetables, 85o.

c is a curved bar, bearing, at one extremity, a hori-A zontal blade, d, 'or blades, that sit transversely of the vessel b, and having, at its other extremity, trunnions e e, bywhich the said bar is mounted in vertical stand'- ards h h, that aresecured to the baseA.

'i is an arm that projects forward from the rear ebd of the -curved bar c.

k is a spur-wheelplaced vertically on a shaft, i', that is mounted horizontally in the -uprights `m m,'which'- spring from the base A. in front of the, arm i, and so near .the same that the spurs of the wheel k, one after. another, strike the lower side of the arm t as the shaft Z is revolved by hand or other power, and raise said arm, together with the barsc and blade d, until the spur clears the arm t, 'inthe ends of which spurs friction-rollers may be inserted.v

nis-a spring, here shown-'as spiral, but capable of being made of any other shape, or of any suitable material, and connected at one end with prong that projects downwardfrom the extremity of 'the bar c, and at the other end with the extremity. of a screw o, that passes horizontally through a standard, fr'.

The spring mis extendedwhen the bar c is raised as aforesaid, and draws said bar and its'blade .downward as soon'as the spur k passes the arm t.

It istlvis downward motion ofthe bar and blade that causes the latter to cut the meat. I

The spring m admits of the stopping of the blade on meeting with a hard substance.

rlhe tension of the spring n may be regulated by turning the screw o, so as to cause the-springr to exert more or less force-on the bar c. Y

An elbow-lever, pivoted horizontally to the base A, extends one of its arms s into the/path of the spurs le, and to the extremity of -its other arm s', a pawl, t, is pivoted, which pawl engages with the annular ratchet t that is secured to the o utside of the block (t.

A spring, t,tends to'keep thepawl always pressed into the ratchet.

As the, wheel le revolves, thespurs one after another strike the arlrf s of the elbow-lever and draw it backward. lhis movemer'it ot the lever causes the pawl t to turn the ratchet t and block a far enough between the strokes ofthe blade d to shift the position of the contents ot' the vessel b to the required extent.

A spring, u., retraets the elbow-lever after every movement imparted to it by the spurs.

To the under side of the arm t a steel slotted plate is secured'by a set-screw, which plate may be moved outward to the end of the arm t', when the same becomes -so worn by the friction of the spurs le as to be partiallyI inoperative.

The vessel b is provided at one side with a hinged door of such dimensions that when swung open 1t exposes an orice in thc vessel b large enough to admit of the ready removal of the contents of the same.

I claim as' my inventionl. The arrangement ot' the adjustable spring n, screw o, bar c, and blade d, as specilied.

2. The arrangement of 'the block a, ratchett', pawl t, elbow-lever s s,'springs u t, and spur-wheel k, as i desciibed. v

3. rJhe arrangement ofthe bar c, arm e', spur-wheel k, and adjustable spring n and screw o, as set forth.

4. 'lhe arrangement, of the block a, vessel b, bladecl, bar c, spur-wheel 7:, spring 11,'elbow-lever s s, pawl t, and ratchet t, as explained. Y

y G-EO. H. MELLEN.

Witnesses:

Gno. E. BROWN, C. O.BnowN. 

